diff --git a/src/ports/SkFontHost_linux.cpp b/src/ports/SkFontHost_linux.cpp
index 561b7df234..a7cda52789 100644
--- a/src/ports/SkFontHost_linux.cpp
+++ b/src/ports/SkFontHost_linux.cpp
@@ -577,10 +577,10 @@ SkTypeface* SkFontHost::CreateTypefaceFromFile(const char path[]) {
     SkFILEStream* stream = SkNEW_ARGS(SkFILEStream, (path));
 
     if (stream->isValid()) {
-        face = CreateTypeface(stream);
+        return CreateTypeface(stream);
     }
     stream->unref();
-    return face;
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////